Opposing players repeatedly leaving the game for a split second

I've noticed this trend with my opponents on lichess over the past several months, and don't know what to make of it. It is disconcerting. During the game, some of my opponent's online indicator will repeatedly go offline for a split second, then come back online. The disconnection is so brief that the "opponent has left the game message" doesn't come up.

I would like to understand what I'm seeing. Has anyone else seen this behavior? Does anyone know the cause? Is this micro disconnecting tracked anywhere? Could it be caused on my end of the connection? Are my opponents switching in and out of the app? Am I playing bots? What is this?

Never happened with me. Maybe I blink my eye when this happens

I believe that can happen when an opponent has bad internet connection.

@clousems said in #3:
> I believe that can happen when an opponent has bad internet connection.

I appreciate the reply. Do you know this to be the case? Is this connection info tracked anywhere by lichess? Can it be shown in logs? Analyzed?

@mintstate70 said in #4:
> I appreciate the reply. Do you know this to be the case? Is this connection info tracked anywhere by lichess? Can it be shown in logs? Analyzed?
To what end?
Why does fraction of a second dc matter
Also its just unstable internet normally coffee shop wifi or similar that drops alot of packet

@for_cryingout_loud said in #5:
> To what end?
> Why does fraction of a second dc matter

For one thing, it's quite distracting. Playing someone who is on/off, on/off is a blinking green light on your screen while playing chess. I should be focused on the board and instead it's like playing someone who's constantly getting up and sitting down again.

Are they switching to their engine? Are they human at all? Why does it seem to occur more when it's their move? Can I check the logs to see if that's actually the case? If it's the connection, that should be easy to prove. If it's an opponent switching in and out of the app, that too should be easy to prove.

It's a simple question. I want facts, not guesses and conjecture. Without guessing...what exactly am I seeing?

The only way to have facts is to be sitting next to your opponent when that happens. Do you think you can do it?

If it really bothers you much just put Zen mode maybe It'll help

@Deadban said in #7:
> The only way to have facts is to be sitting next to your opponent when that happens. Do you think you can do it?

Not so. This should be easily checkable via connection logs. I am seeing some opponents with 5x5 connections leave the game for spilt seconds, repeatedly throughout the game.

My question is -- what explains what am I seeing? Are they leaving the app? Is it the connection? What -- exactly -- is it? Someone knows the actual answer.

@mintstate70 said in #6:

> It's a simple question. I want facts, not guesses and conjecture.

lol